Community Education
SFSC’s Corporate and Community Education Department offers an array of personal enrichment non-credit courses designed to enhance your quality of life or to improve skills. Choose from numerous courses, workshops, seminars, special programs, and other enriching educational experiences provided to meet your needs and interests. You may schedule your instruction at various times and locations. Classes include, but are not limited to, art, conversational Spanish, hands-on computer training, healthy living, creative writing, yoga, and photography. We offer over 350 engaging, personal enrichment courses at ed2go.com/sfsc. All community education classes are fee supported; therefore, the cost varies with the duration of the programs and materials involved.
Driver Education Programs
SFSC offers a variety of driver improvement programs at three sites within the tri-county area. Visit southflorida.edu/driversclass for an online course.
- Advanced Driver Improvement (ADI) - Advanced Driver Improvement is a required course if you have accumulated sufficient points to result in license suspension. This 12-hour course concentrates on providing you with the tools to develop positive attitudes and behaviors while maintaining control of a motor vehicle.
- Alcohol Drug Accident Prevention Training (ADAPT) -This four-hour approved driver education course is required of all first-time driver’s license applicants. This course focuses on Florida’s traffic laws and the consequences of substance abuse and its effects on your ability to drive responsibly.
- Safe Driving Accident Prevention Program (SDAPP) - SDAPP, which is universally known as traffic school, is a Florida Basic Driver Improvement program designed for motorists who are issued traffic citations or ordered by the courts a four-hour learning option to have points reduced on their driver’s license and possibly get a discount on their auto insurance premium (at the discretion of their insurance company). Within this course, you will learn Florida traffic laws, defensive driving strategies, adverse driving conditions, and driving under the influence avoidance. Upon completion, you will receive an official Florida traffic school certification of completion.
Lifetime Learners Institute
The Lifetime Learners Institute is a series of offerings that provide short-term educational opportunities and various social activities for individuals interested in expanding their intellectual horizons. Lectures, discussions, presentations, and optional field trips provide the structure for the program. Series presenters are always welcome to share their expertise. Visit southflorida.edu/LLI for more information.
Parents, Children, and Divorce
Parents, Children, and Divorce fulfills the requirement of the administrative order for the Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course as required in the 10th Judicial Circuit Section 61.21, Florida Statutes (F.S.). It focuses on the concerns you have regarding your decisions in divorce and the impact this process will have on your child or children. You will learn effective ways of communicating with each other and of making decisions that are in the best interests of your child or children. Both parents are required to complete this four-hour course but are not required to attend the course on the same day. Visit southflorida.edu/family to learn more.
Community education is a great way to meet people, learn a new hobby or develop a skill. Our courses are developed in response to individual requests and trends in community interests. Instructors come for all walks of life, bringing rich and varied experience to the classroom. Enroll in one of our many enrichment classes today, the schedule is online at southflorida.edu/communityedschedule. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, suggest a class by emailing CommunityEducation@southflorida.edu. If you’re interested in teaching a personal enrichment course, submit a course proposal to CommunityEducation@southflorida.edu.
For more information on any of these courses, contact the Corporate and Community Education Department at 863-784-7034.
Corporate Education
SFSC’s Corporate and Community Education Department can upgrade your skills, customize a program to train your employees, or find a location to present your own training. Corporate and Community Education (CCE) classes are offered at every SFSC campus, center, or at your work site. Many are available through the College’s strong partnerships with business and community organizations, such as economic development commissions and chambers of commerce. CCE classes may meet for a few hours or over several days. You don’t earn college credits, but through some classes you may receive the education units required to maintain your professional accreditations, certifications, or state licenses. Each year, the list of CCE classes continues to grow.
Examples of training opportunities available:
Business
- Business Writing and Grammar Skills
- Creating a Successful Business Plan
- Customer Service
- Digital Marketing
- Finance
- Grant Writing
- Human Resource Management
- Introduction and Intermediate E-Commerce
- Leadership
- Logistics/Supply Chain Management
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- Personal and Professional Time Management
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
- Real Estate Sales Associate (Pre-Licensing, Post Licensing, and Continuing Education)
- Real Estate Broker (Pre-Licensing, Post Licensing, and Continuing Education)
- Soft Skills for Successful Employees
- Using Social Media in Business
Commercial Vehicle Driver
- Bus Driver Training
- CDL Driver’s License Exam
- CDL Driver Training Class A, B
Computer/Information Technology
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Photoshop
- Introduction and Intermediate Microsoft Office Suites (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Publisher)
- Introduction to Web Design
- QuickBooks
- Smart Phone and Technology
- Cybersecurity
Early Childhood Education
- Building Blocks for Literacy®
- CEU Workshops
- CPR and First Aid Training
- Florida Child Care Professional Credential (FCCPC)
- Florida Child Care Professional Credential Renewal/Refresher (Online Only)
- Florida Director’s Credential Renewal (Online Only)
- Florida Director’s Credential Training - Program Management Course
- Introduction to Child Care - 40 hours DCF State Mandated Training
Electronic Warfare
- Electronic Warfare I
- Electronic Warfare II
- Introduction to Electronic Warfare Threat Systems
- Introduction to Radar and FR Fundamentals
- Electronic Warfare Systems Engineering and Test
Fire Science
- Live Fire Training Instructor Course
Health Sciences
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Provider Course
- ATI TEAS® Prep Course - Test of Essential Academic Skills
- Blood-Borne Pathogens
- Nursing Assistant
- CPR and First Aid Training
- Domestic Violence
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Refresher
- Emergency Vehicles Operations Training
- IV Therapy
- Local Anesthesia for Dental Hygienist
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Provider Course
Industrial
Online Training
Public Service (Law Enforcement/Correctional Officers)
- Breath Test Operators Course
- Concealed Weapons
- Criminal Law
- Field Training Officer
- Instructor Techniques
- Report Writing
- Security Guard
- Tactical Defense
- Tactical Driving Course
Trades
- Electrical
- EPA Test
- Masonry
- Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) Training
- Plumbing
- Mine Safety Health Administration (MSHA) Annual Refresher
- Mine Safety Health Administration (MSHA) New Miner Training
SFSC is the Heartland’s premier provider of continuing education and professional development. Training classes can be customized to meet the needs of any business, large or small. CCE classes are delivered in a variety of formats with the flexibility to meet the educational needs of individual workers, small businesses, and large public and corporate enterprises.
Visit us online to see our Corporate Education class schedule and webpage at southflorida.edu/corporatetraining, contact us via email at CorporateTraining@southflorida.edu. For more information on CCE courses or developing a class for your business, contact the Corporate and Community Education Department at 863-784-7032 or 863-784-7466.
Florida Small Business Development Center
The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at USF, located at SFSC, is part of the Florida SBDC Network. The Network serves as the statewide single point of contact for the advancement of an entrepreneurial environment; thus, creating a positive foundation for the development and growth of existing and emerging businesses in Florida. The Florida SBDC Network is the most experienced economic development network serving Floridians statewide.
The Florida SBDC at USF, located at SFSC, uses professionally certified business consultants that have the knowledge and real-world business experience to help emerging and growing businesses design growth strategies and make better business decisions. These professionals provide confidential, no-cost consulting to entrepreneurs who want to grow their business. Areas of expertise include:
- Increasing sales
- Obtaining financing
- Improving cash flow
- Winning government contracts
- Exporting
- Business Start-Up
Locally, Florida SBDC at USF, located at SFSC, serves DeSoto, Hardee, Polk, and Highlands County businesses to achieve these goals. Look for us at southflorida.edu under Community tab or at SBDCTampaBay.com/highlands or call 813-396-2713 for more information.
Other Community Program
Leadership Highlands
The Leadership Highlands (LH) program has been developing local leaders since the formation of the pilot class in 1999 and we graduated our 23rd class in 2023. The mission of the Leadership Highlands program is to develop leaders with a thorough understanding of, and strong sense of commitment to, Highlands County and an appreciation for the strength found in our county’s abundant diversities.
LH is administered by SFSC and is a partnership between SFSC and the Avon Park, Lake Placid, and Sebring chambers of commerce. It is overseen by an advisory board comprised of the SFSC director, Leadership Highlands, the executive directors of the above chambers of commerce, and a limited number of LH alumni. The goals of the program are to familiarize participants with the infrastructure, agencies, and economic enterprises that exist in Highlands County; to expose the participants to a range of ever-changing community needs and to identify the resources available to meet those needs; to engender leadership potential and challenge each other to increase personal awareness about their community; to provide participants the opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with community leaders; and to encourage civic participation and volunteer involvement in the community.
Each class includes an orientation in August, a retreat in September, nine monthly themed sessions that include an overnight trip to Tallahassee, and a Commencement ceremony in June. For information about enrollment or participation, contact the program coordinator at 863-784-7466.
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